1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an attraction-type magnetically floated travelling body and more particularly to a structural arrangement for supporting or carrying armature rails employed therein having an inverted U-shape sectional shape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional travelling body of this type, such armature rails are arranged in relation to the travelling body, in such a manner as illustrated by example in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, each of the left and right armature rails 3 are mounted through a carrying block 2 on a base 1 which is positioned on the ground. On the other hand, beneath the floor of the travelling body 5 on the left and right hand sides thereof, a plurality of electromagnets 4, whose excitation windings thereof are omitted from the illustration for simplification are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the travelling body to confront the open ends of both sides of the armature rails 3 and to allow a control current flow in such a way as to keep the electromagnets away from the open ends with a preset spacing. With the travelling body made to be afloat in the air by the magnetic attracting force of the electromagnets in this manner, a driving means such as a linear motor causes the travelling body to travel along the armature rails 3 in a state of being afloat. In the conventional arrangement for carrying the armature rails of an inverted U-shape as represented in the above mentioned example, the exterior face of one leg portion of the inverted U-shape is secured by welding to supporting blocks provided on the ground side. With such arrangement employed, however, there arises distortion or strain in the welded parts of the armature rails. Furthermore, the expansion and contraction of the armature rails in its longitudinal direction due to the varying atmospheric temperature would result in the undesirable deformation in the layout of the rails which specifically require the precise installation for this kind of application. Besides, with the armature rails being fixed by welding, it is extremely difficult to make precise adjustment in order to obtain the necessary alignment.